Who's your hero, then?
by augurey149
Summary: Just a short on a moment between Beckett and Castle.Castle disturbs Beckett from paperwork again, and this is the conversation that follows. Has been modified slightly at a suggestion from GhostWriterLost.


hi, just a short ona moment between Beckett and Castle. Please review when you've read it! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the tv show Castle or any of the characters therein, though i wish i did : (

Who's your hero, then?

Detective Kate Beckett paused and, for what felt like the hundredth time that morning, looked up to find Richard Castle staring at her.

"Why are you staring at me, Castle?" She feigned annoyance, but she having read the same sentence at least five times, secretly welcomed the distraction.

"Nothing, just trying to work out what you're thinking." Castle said it simply, completely serious, yet Beckett still found herself staring at him, slack-jawed and confused.

"Why?" He raised an eyebrow, as if silently asking her if that was a serious question.

"Well, you obviously weren't reading, so unless you were trying to communicate via Phoenix-style telepathy, you were thinking about something. I was just trying to work out what." Castle leaned back in his chair, smirking in amused satisfaction at his logical deduction and the female detective's silence. His amusement was short-lived, however, as Beckett snapped out of her stupor.

"Wait, Phoenix? As in X-Men Jean Grey's alter-ego Phoenix?" The small surprised o-shape of her mouth quickly morphed into a smirk, "I knew you were a nerd, Castle, but I didn't realise it was this bad." Beckett's smirk became a full blown, cat-that-got-the-cream grin. "So is Phoenix your hero, Castle?"

Castle quirked his eyebrow, his mouth twitching with a barely concealed smile. Nerd? He thought. Takes one to know one, Detective Beckett. He shrugged in a nonchalant manner before answering the question.

"Actually the feminine term is heroine, and no, she's not." The smirk was back, and Beckett hated it.

"So why are they called the X-_Men_, then?" She shot back.

"Well, they were called the X-Men in the old comics, but they're colloquially referred to as the X-team now, even thought the comic is still called the X-Men."

"Really?"

Castle shrugged. "I don't know, but it sounded good." He smirked. She scowled.

"You're trying to change the subject, but it won't work. Who's your hero Castle?" She watched him expectantly, the smile on her face telling Castle there was no way he was getting out of this. Then, he hit upon an idea.

"I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours first." Beckett sat back in her chair and thought. Finally she leaned forward on her folded arms and said, "Raven."

"I don't think she counts, she's half demon."

"So? Everyone has a dark side, Castle, hers is just more noticeable."

"And? Any other reasons?" He quirked an eyebrow, not cynical or sceptical, simply curious. It was this side of Castle that Beckett couldn't get her head around, when he wasn't looking to make fun of her, but genuinely interested in finding out more about her. She liked this side of him, but she couldn't tell him. Could she?

"I don't know Castle," Beckett rested her head on her folded arms and shrugged, "I guess I relate to the character. No mother, practically no relationship with the father, y'know." She looked up at him, her hazel eyes asking him silently to understand and ask no more questions.

Castle knew, more than Beckett thought he did. He thought that she was a lot like the comic character, but not for the reasons she did. Both women were beautiful in unconventional, ethereal ways, liked to keep their personal lives private, both intelligent and mysterious, and forever surprising those around them. But he couldn't tell her that. Could he?

"So, Castle, I've told you mine. Now tell me yours."

"You."

He said it as though it was obvious, and to him it suddenly was. Biting back a smile, he stood up and headed to the break room, leaving a stunned Detective Beckett staring at the chair he had just vacated, mouth slightly agape, then smiling.

Fin.


End file.
